Three Things: Rarest Dog Breeds in the U.S.

Without much effort, you can probably list some of the most common breeds of dogs like poodles, labs and pitbulls. But have you ever wondered which the rarest breeds of dogs in the U.S.?

According to one recent study by the country's top breeders, here they are. At number three is the Otterhound, a noble breed that can be traced back to the 1100's. They where once a favorite hunting dog used in packs to hunt otter, hence the name. Unfortunately, after otter hunting was banned in England in the late 1970's, their numbers declined. It is estimated that there are only 350 Otterhounds in North America.

At number two is the Stabyhoun, considered a national treasure in the Netherlands. The breed is both a pointer and retriever, and is used as a hunting dog today. The Dutch Dog Registry carefully monitors breeding of this rare treasure, and there are only 100 of them in the U.S. at this time.

The rarest breed of dog in America is the Chinook, a direct descendent of a famous sled dog named Chinook. Following the breed founder's death in 1963, the Chinook went into rapid decline and looked as if it would be lost forever. However, a dedicated group of dog lovers found the remaining 11 breedable dogs in 1981 is working to restore its numbers.

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